Product Review - Engel 13 Qt. Live Bait Cooler

Normally I prefer to fish with artificial lures, but there are certain situations when I fish with , or like to have fresh bait.   During those times, I would tote around a Frabill troll tank, but that had some issues.  During tournaments, if I spend the time to catch bait, if I decide to use it, I want it to be fresh and lively.  Unfortunately, during the summer to keep baits such as shrimp and mullet lively, that tank is in the water the whole day.  This slows me down, and makes me susceptible to the current and other factors.  To mitigate this, I decided to turn to Engel Coolers.  

Baitwell (between the seat and green box) rigged on the Skimmer 128

After hearing great things about their products, I figured that if the livewell didn't work out the way I wanted, at least I would have a quality cooler to take out on the water.  With a few trips under its belt, I have been pleasantly surprised by the results.  I went with the 13 Quart Cooler and noticed a few things before I even got it.

1. When purchasing items on line, I appreciate it when the process my order quickly.  I placed my      order on a Saturday, and by 0900 on the following Monday my order was purchased.

     2.  It was shipped the same day it was processed, and I didn't have to pay anything extra.

When I got the cooler, which was five days after the order was placed, I noticed the quality of the cooler.  I was excited and couldn't wait to get it out on the water.  My next trip I put it in use.  It fit rather nicely in my tankwell with a small box and rod holders.  It kept 5 dozen shiners lively all day.  I decided to test its water tightness, and when turned upside down, there was minimal leaking from the aerator hose port.  This area can be plugged from the inside when the hose is not in use.  The top seals were flawless.  

My for my next trip I decided to see how it would work on the Skimmer 128, with the Yak Attack BlackPak.  I was able to put it between the BlackPak and the seat, but was unable to secure it to the kayak.  I was however able to put the cooler between my legs comfortably without it getting in the way.  Utilizing the BlackPak, or full size crate, it fit nicely behind the crate, while being secured to the kayak.  This is the most likely scenario and option when im tournament fishing.  My fishing buddy commented at the end of the day on the liveliness and quality of the bait and said he would end up purchasing one himself.

As a cooler itself, I tested it with ice in my truck.  It held ice with minimal melt for a week, parked in the sun everyday.  It is extremely quick and easy to remove the aerator and hose (included with the cooler), if you decide to use it as a stand alone cooler.

At around $70 with shipping included, if you are looking for a live bait management solution when fishing, check it out.  Im sure you will be pleased!

Simple Hurricane Skimmer 128 Rigging

So, I finally got around to posting some pictures of my Skimmer to the Hurricane Fishing Team's Facebook page.  I thought Id post them up here and go into a little more detail on why I chose the products I did.

Side View

Looking at this view, there are a few areas Id like to point out.  First, I decided to go with a Mighty Mount as the base platform for the VisiPole.  First, the space it was mounted in would be a waste of a perfectly good trac, as it would only allow 1-2" of movable space when rigged.  Also, it was the more fiscally responsible choice without sacrificing product quality.  I go with the VisiCarbon Pro for my light because I could easily add or remove it on the water, and it is a light weight quality product.

Moving back, I have a white Engel Bait well that is used when Im fishing live bait.  I can also use it without the aerator for cool drinks and ice in the summer.  Behind it I have my homemade kayak tackle box.  I can place 3 plano sleeves and plastics in the box.  I also added a rod holder to the back of it.  With the design of the skimmer, I can access both the bait and the tackle/rods in a forward facing seated position. 

Finally I added a SEALS pad on the seat for added comfort during those 8+ hour days on the water.

This picture is the view without the live well.

Full Side View

In this view, if you look at the bow and the stern above the seam, you can see the silver Nitestripe.  This really lights up at night if any light source is shined on it.  Its just another measure to keep me save and visible during low light conditions.  Alos pictured on the right part of the picture are my removable rod holders.

In this picture, you can see the normal Gear Trac under the center scotty mount, and the Gear Trac 90 in which a Ram holder is mounted on.  I love the Gear Trac's because they give me almost infinite options for my fishing needs.  I can remove everything from the tracks and I have a virtually snag free deck for fly casting, or I can put as many rod holders I could fish from on the tracks.  If you dont know about Yak Attack, click the link and check them out! Finally, before you get to the center hatch, I mounted some noise dampening plastic grip tape in the areas that I tend to set rods down on.  I can set my rods down, grab another rod, and cast to a fish quickly without spooking them.

I have a few pending modifications, which include a rudder, trolley, and track enhancement installation.  I will post up pictures once I have completed those modifications.

Also, I hope to put out some reviews this week.  Ill be reviewing the Shamano Crucial bait casting series rods, The Blair Wiggins S-Curve spinning rods, the BPS Jonny Morris Signature Series bait casting reels, and the Engel live wells.  Until next time...